Continuous tramway-rail



(No Model.)

W. H. WRIGHT.- CONTINUOUS TRAMWAY RAIL.

No. 563,242. Patented June 30, 1896.

Inventor.

Attorney.

UV itnesses ANDREW E GRAHAM. PHOTO-m0. WASmNGmN. D12,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM H. lVRIGI-IT, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

CONTINUOUS TRAMWAY-RAIL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 563,242, dated June 30, 1896.

A li ati fil d December 10, 1895. Serial No. 571,634. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New Y0rk,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Continuous Tramway- Rails; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of tramway-rails which are known as sectional and continuous, and more particularly to improvements in the form of tramway-rail for which Letters Patent No. 535,608 were granted to me on the 12th day of March, 1895.

The object of my invention, as in the abovenamed patent, is the production of a sectional continuous tramway or T rail which will be self-supporting, requiring no chairs or fishplates, and in which the worn parts can be quickly and easily removed, and in additionally preventing the spreading of parts when under side strain and consequent stripping of the bolts.

To that end my invention consists of a tramway or T rail which is composed of a main central bearing-section and two similar side supportin g-sections constructed and united in a manner which will be fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of my improved tramway-rail. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of one of the similar side supporting-sections. Fig. 3 is a similar section of the main central bearing-section. Fig. 4 is a top plan View, and Fig. 5 is a side elevation, of the complete tramway-rail.

Referring to the drawings, the main central bearing-section is composed of the head 1, the

tram 2, and the intermediate groove 3. The tram 2 is somewhat lower than the head 1 in order that the tires of wheels which are wider than the groove 3 will ride upon the trams 2 and be prevented by the head 1 from leaving the track accidentally.

Depending centrally from the under surface of the head 1 is the longitudinal web 4, its lower edge 5 bein grounded or semicylindrical. On each side of the web 4, at its junction with the head 1, are the longitudinal channels 6 6, formed in the lower side of the head 1. The two similar side supporting-sections consist of the upper vertical portions 7 7 and the lower outwardly-inclined or diagonal portions 8 8.

The upper edges of the vertical portions 7 7 are enlarged outwardly and have semicylindrical bearingsurfaces 9 9, which register with the channels 6 6 in the under side of the head 1, and the diagonal portions 8 8 are provided at their lower ends with the outwardlyextending horizontal flanges 1O 10. At the junction of the vertical portions 7 7 and diagonal portions 8 8 of the side supporting-sections are the longitudinal shoulders 11, having inner vertical faces 12 and upper curved surfaces 13. When the parts are assembled as shown in Fig. 1, the upper semicylindrical edges 9 9 of the vertical portions 7 7 register with and rest within the channels 6 6 in the head 1.

The vertical faces 12 12 of the longitudinal shoulders 11 register with each other, and the upper curved surfaces of these shoulders form a continuous semicylindrical bearing-surface against which the lower semicylindrical edge 5 of the web f rests. In this manner the head 1 and its web 4 are each provided with a substantial bearing, thereby adding greatly to the structural strength of the rail, which strength is additionally increased by the up per ends 9 9 of the side supporting-sections extending up into the channels 6 6 in the under side of the head 1. This construction has the effect of preventing the spreading of parts and consequent stripping of the bolts under side strain produced'by the swaying of the vehicles riding over the rails and as they are rounding curves. gether by the bolts 14, passing through holes 15 and 16 16 in the web 4 and the vertical portions 7 7 of the side supporting-sections, respectively, the bolts being locked in position by the nuts 17, a washer 18 being interposed between the nut and rail.

It will be seen by referring to Figs. 4 and 5 that the central bearing-sections and the side supporting-sections are bonded or secured to- The parts are secured together in such manner that no two joints are opposite each other. The main and supporting sections are of equal length, each supporting-section on either side resting one-third against one main section and two thirds against the next section.

It is apparent that the bearing-surfaces of the side channels, of the upper edges of the vertical portions of the side supporting-sections, of the lower edge of the web and of the upper surfaces of the projections upon the side supporting-sections may be of other configuration than semicylindrical, as shown, without departing from the spirit of my invention, provided such bearing-surfaces as they come together will register and form a close joint in order to perform the functions hereinbefore clearly set forth. It is also apparent that my improved construction is equally applicable to any form of rail having an upper bearing-surface other than the tramway-rail type as illustrated in the drawings, such, for

instance, as what is known as the T-rail.

name to this specification in the presence of I claim- 1. In a continuous rail the similar side supporting-sections provided with the upper vertical portions 7, 7, and the lower outwardly-- inclined or diagonal portions 8, 8, the upper edges 9, 9, being shaped to register with channels in the main central bearing-sections and the registering projections 11, 11, which form a bearing for the lower edge of the web 4 of the main central bearing-section substantially as shown and described.

A continuous tramway-rail consisting of the main central bearing-section having upon its upper side the head 1, the tram 2 and the intermediate groove 3, and upon its under side the central web 4 and side longitudinal channels 6, 6, and the similar side supporting sections provided with the upper Vertical portions 7, 7, and the lower outwardly-inclined or diagonal portions 8, S, the upper edges 9, 9, being shaped to register with the channels 6,6, in the main central bearing-sections and the registering projections 11, 11, which form a bearing for the lower edge of the web 4 of the main central bearing-section the main and supporting sections being bolted together so as to break joints substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. WRIGHT. lVitnesses:

W. T.'MILLER, F. P. KERSTEN. 

